Gas in France from calor to french gas.

[bobsover]

Having trawled the internet for answers to this question.

"What gas can I use in France if I run out of Calor"?

Firstly its unlikely, if you start with 2 full ones, due to the climate, but if your worried, here is the answer.

Sort this out before you go, It is so hard to obtain information on the road.

Contact by mail help@gasproducts.co.uk

Jonathan is the man to contact. he will call you if you ask him to to speak about your order.

028 9146 1111 is the direct number, it costs around £28 with postage for the adaptors, pigtails, and bottle regulator for the Le cube gas, found in most places around France.

Don't get confused and search for hours, your answer is here.

Good luck.

[Keithl]

@bobsover Do you by any chance have any connection with the company linked?

[ColinM50]

I've found refilling my Gas it tank and Calor Tank in France and Belgium so easy. One garage I used before I bought my own adaptors, even had the right adaptors and the girl on the till came and did it for me. Ooer missus. 

Maybe you're overthinking this? It's not as difficult or traumatic as you think.

[bobsover]

Ha Ha nice question.

A huge no here, I just struggled to get answers anywhere, I did ask the chap if I could put his name out, and he agreed.

The hardest thing I have searched for in years, why is there no solid answers out there, I have all the pictures he sent me of my order, but, putting them on is just confusing, pol, 27mm, 30 mm. 35" Propane/Butane Gas Pigtail NR Butane Nut x W20 etc etc, it gets so confusing, all the jargon.

Simply put " how do I convert from Calor to Le cube when in France" This search is fruitless.

My post is simply call, get your answer, order, or don't.

 

[bobsover]

Colin.

Yes I agree totally.

But I saw so many questions about this topic, and decided to put out a simple one stop answer.

[Keithl]

Or you could go to the Gaslow Direct website and search 'LeCube' to find the correct adapter to convert to a 21.8LH (Butane) fitting. You would then use either a Butane 21.8LH pigtail or an adapter to convert again to a POL connection if you have a Propane pigtail.

https://www.gaslowdirect.com/product/gaslow-27mm-clip-on-gas-cylinder-adapter-01-1673-t/

https://www.gaslowdirect.com/product/gaslow-propane-to-21-8lh-adapter/

[bobsover]

There is the confusion for some people, and my thread helps them that have no clue.

a 21.8LH (Butane) fitting. You would then use either a Butane 21.8LH pigtail or an adapter to convert again to a POL connection if you have a Propane pigtail.

Your reply above is exactly what I have been trying to say, what if you don't understand the above statement?

If you do not understand it, then the ask is available.

Simplicity is key, if you just do not know, or you are new to this, 1st motorhome, never been to France in a motorhome/camper/caravan, or am I missing something here?

How would someone brand new to this, actually know to go to Gaslow, for the answer to Le cube?

Q. is the forum for people that know all the answers, or to ask for help if needed?

[Keithl]

If you had come here as a newby and asked how to convert from a Calor propane to LeCube I would have replied exactly as I have above.

You seemed to imply that the question had never been asked before whereas in reality it has been answered many times on here, hence my scepticism with your first post containing a link which could have appeared to be Spam.

[bobsover]

forums are so cuttting, I have just joined this one, only trying to help.

I'm cutting free

Thanks Keith for moderating.

[Derek Uzzell]

Just for the record...

As  Keith has said, this has been discussed here a number of times during the last 10 years (2018 example here)

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/44310-gas-in-france/#comment-561175

and the Le Cube containers are mentioned in this general "Gas in Europe" guide

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/42662-gas-in-europe/

The snag is that it doesn't matter how straightforward a Calor bottle to a Le Cube bottle conversion is in principle, there is plenty of potential for the 'innocent abroad' to get it badly wrong.

In one notorious case a forum member (with a French trip imminent) was given what, on the face of it, was blow-by-blow guidance regarding Le Cube. However - having arrived in France - he sought advice (not once but twice) from French supermarket and DIY store staff who tried to help but were clueless. The result (again twice) was a gas system that was lethal. It had been overlooked when the on-forum guidance was originally offered that the motorcaravanner had no gas system familiarity and he should have been instructed that only a French caravan or motorhome dealership should carry out the conversion. 

[simians]

1 hour ago, bobsover said:

Having trawled the internet for answers to this question.

"What gas can I use in France if I run out of Calor"?

Firstly its unlikely, if you start with 2 full ones, due to the climate, but if your worried, here is the answer.

 

For 4 winter months much of inland and the northern half of France fares little better than much of the UK as regards the weather. 2X13kg Calors could easily be consumed over a short trip say 2 weeks, particularly if used for space heating, which is likely to be the case, as most mains hookup campsites and aires will be closed

In a similar vein I've occasionally met m/home owners first time travelling in Spain on the plain, winter season? thinking it's going to be like the weather they experienced on a Xmas package to Benidorm ☺️

[paul2]

The phone number Bobsover gave is for Hamilton Gas Products  I have used them a few times and they some times sell Gaslow cylinders cheaper than Gaslow and Jonathan is very helpful.

Paul 

[simians]

For the cautious;

Does your insurance provider require notification of what they may consider a gas conversion lash up.....just saying.🤯

[Brian Kirby]

On 3/22/2023 at 11:06 AM, bobsover said:

Having trawled the internet for answers to this question.

"What gas can I use in France if I run out of Calor"?

Firstly its unlikely, if you start with 2 full ones, due to the climate, but if your worried, here is the answer.

Sort this out before you go, It is so hard to obtain information on the road.

Contact by mail help@gasproducts.co.uk

Jonathan is the man to contact. he will call you if you ask him to to speak about your order.

028 9146 1111 is the direct number, it costs around £28 with postage for the adaptors, pigtails, and bottle regulator for the Le cube gas, found in most places around France.

Don't get confused and search for hours, your answer is here.

Good luck.

I think part of the problem may be that you haven't clarified what size Calor cylinder you use. 

If a 13kg cylinder, then, providing your gas locker is large enough for 2 x 13kg cylinders, you might like to consider what I have done, and pair the one UK Calor with a French 13kg Butagaz cylinder, which is very similar in size to the 13kg Calor.  The advantage of this is that the UK Butane connection is the same as that used in France for Propane. 

So, you can buy a UK Butane pigtail of appropriate length for your van's gas locker in UK before you leave, and and carry only 1x13kg UK Calor Propane cylinder leaving UK. 

Then, when in France, buy (which I believe may still involve taking out a Butagaz contract - not complicated.) one 13kg Butagaz propane cylinder, and fit and connect that.  Then, when in France, use the Butagaz for supply, keeping the UK Calor as the reserve.  If/when the Butagaz runs out while away, you can swap the empty for full at most supermarkets, especially in rural areas, so will use little of your UK Calor.  Once the new Butagaz is installed in your gas locker, switch this to be the supply cylinder, with the UK Calor again as reserve, and so on.  As it seems you already have two UK Calors, if using the van in UK, connect the second UK Calor and put the part used Butagaz into store until you next go to France.

But, before you do anything do check/confirm what size cylinders you are presently using as, if you are restricted to 6kg cylinders, and if they are a snug fit in your gas locker, you may find a Le Cube is in any case too wide to fit.

[witzend]

In 12 or more years visiting France I've only ever used Propane Gas from Intermarche Super Markets which are located all over France The bottle deposit is 3€ last year a 10 kg bottle of propane was 23€ and the connection reqd is a UK butane  at a lot of their outlets they are installing self service points 

 

[Derek Uzzell]

For UK motorhome owners travelling abroad, size often matters where gas-bottle dimensions are concerned.

In 2005 I bought a Hobby T-600FC motorhome in Germany. This had a gas-locker tightly sized to accept two German-norm canisters - a 11kg bottle and a 5kg bottle. If using UK Calor bottles, this translated into 2 x 6kg propane bottles as a Calor 13kg propane bottle would not fit in the locker.

The T-600FC model was widely marketed outside Germany and, in France, there was problem gas-wise that should have  been obvious to Hobby. The motorhome's gas-locker would accept a French propane bottle with a 9kg-13kg capacity, but there was no French small-width equivalent to the German 5kg canister nor to a Calor 6kg. So a French buyer of a T-600FC was restricted to one large (9kg-13kg) French-norm propane gas-bottle or to a pair of 5kg "Le Cube" propane containers. This limitation did not go down well with French camping-caristes and Hobby must have rapidly recognised the issue as 2006 T-600FC motorhomes had a slightly larger locker that could accommodate 2 x 11kg German bottles (or 2 x 13kg French bottles).

There has been recent forum discussion about the size of some UK-built motorhomes' gas-locker

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/60159-gas-bottle-removal/#comment-705605

and it's worth highlighting that, if a motorhome has a locker specifically designed for shoehorning in Calor 6kg propane bottles, there's a real risk that the French "Le Cube" container won't fit. Calor quotes the diameter of their 6kg canister as 256mm, whereas the square cross-section of "Le Cube" is 282mm per side.

Apparently the deposit for the 9kg propane/10kg butane canister available from Intermarché supermarkets is now 5€. (i can't find a current 'recharge' price.)

The deposit for a Butagaz "Le Cube" 6kg/5kg container is currently €39 with a 'recharge' price of €21.90

[simians]

3 hours ago, Derek Uzzell said:

 "Le Cube" container won't fit. Calor quotes the diameter of their 6kg canister as 256mm, whereas the square cross-section of "Le Cube" is 282mm per side.

Le Cube, = can be Le Awkward, I once helped someone extricate a tight fitting Cube, went into the cupboard OK but kept jamming in the door jamb on removal. 282mm per side a bit of trig. shows that to be 399mm diag. (albeit radiussed corners) which translates in practice,  liability to easily jam in tight fit situations.

Nice circular cylinders every time if a choice.

[witzend]

This French Intermarche bottle measures 12" x 20" the pig tail req is 21.8LH (Butane) fitting.

[witzend]

On 4/8/2023 at 10:53 AM, witzend said:

This French Intermarche bottle measures 12" x 20" the pig tail req is 21.8LH (Butane) fitting.

And if you want to connect to it using your UK propane hose use one of these.

https://lpgshop.co.uk/shell-w21-8mm-to-calor-uk-pol-nut-adapter/

[Hans]

That is misleading info, butane or propane gas has the same metal and rubber connections on the bottle. and pressure regulator to 20 mb

[Keithl]

4 minutes ago, Hans said:

That is misleading info, butane or propane gas has the same metal and rubber connections on the bottle. and pressure regulator to 20 mb

Hans,

Maybe in most parts of mainland Europe but NOT in the UK.

Here Butane cylinders always have a 21.8LH male thread on the cylinder whilst propane cylinders have a Female POL thread on the cylinder. The only exceptions in the UK are the various sizes of clip on regulators and adaptors but the subject here is specifically the threaded cylinders.

And the UK norm for bulkhead mounted regulators is 30 mb which I thought was a European standard.

Keith.

[Derek Uzzell]

Since 2003, a standardised gas pressure of 30mbar has been adopted for motorcaravans  throughout member countries of the EU.

Some Continental-European countries (eg. France and Germany) had already chosen to use a 30mbar regulated pressure for motorhome gas systems - though Germany had a historic 50mbar pressure.

Prior to 2003, UK-built motorhomes needed a 28mbar regulator when butane gas was used, or a 37mbar regulator when propane gas was used.

28mbar (butane) or 37mbar (propane) continue to be the regulator pressures for UK non-leisure-vehicle applications (eg. for domestic cooking appliances that use bottled gas in a holiday home).

[witzend]

just spotted this add 

https://www.gumtree.com/p/gas-bottles/repsol-spanish-gas-bottle-with-connector-allows-uk-propane-or-butane-to-connect-to-spanish-bottles/1472536711

[Derek Uzzell]

As this 1-year-old forum thread is headed "Gas in France from calor to french gas", I'm unsure why you've chosen to resurrect it with a link to an advert for a SPANISH gas bottle and adapters. This seems to conflict with Rule 3 of this forum's Code of Conduct.

3: Stay on topic
Content should relate to the forum's purpose. If you have a new topic to discuss, create a new thread rather than derailing or reviving existing discussions.

There's also the question of posting 'small ads' on this forum, whether the items are owned by the poster or not.

4: No selling or trading
Our forums must not be used for selling or trading goods or services.

An explanation would be appreciated, please.

[Zydeco Joe]

We had No size problem with getting Le Cube into gas locker on our 2005 Auto Trail Tracker and getting a re fill was easy as most French supermarkets still sell them. Looked as a couple of supermarkets on way home end of Feb this year. (now have different van with under slung tank so don't need gas bottles).